Songs from Ukraine: Experiece Valentin Silvestrovs masterful song cycle. Introduced by Morten Jentoft.
This evening we invite you to a very special concert in Gamle Aker Church. The Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov has gained great recognition in recent years, not only because of his nationality, but because he writes unearthly beautiful music.
Pianist Tord Gustavsen and baritone singer Aleksander Nohr bring Silvestrov's beautiful work, Silent Songs. Silvestrov was one of the most prominent composers in Ukraine and the Soviet Union in the 70s and the remarkable album Silent Songs is one of his best-known works. The title reflects the musical character of the work - in contrast to the explicit aesthetics of Soviet music at the time, the Silent Songs more like a silent protest. At a time when the Soviet Union exercised strict control over art and culture, and when music and literature were heavily monitored, Silvestrov's work was a form of subtle resistance. Through his work, he expresses a longing for freedom and a deeper, more personal touch that does not necessarily conform to political demands.
To introduce and reflect on the evening's music and theme, we have none other than Morten Jentoft, journalist and long-time Russia correspondent for NRK.
